Cubs linked to aces as trade deadline looms |
Dustin Riese
· · 23 hours ago
Remember, roughly five or even six weeks ago, when people talked about the Trade Market and how many starting pitchers would be available? Man how times have changed as the starting pitching market may not be at the level it was once expected to be.
Sure, Sandy Alcantara and several other strong pitchers are going to be available, but there may not be as many aces to have as before. A significant reason for this is that many teams are still alive in the playoff hunt, as none of them want to give up on their season just yet. Of course, everything could change over the next seven days, but for now, the starting pitching market is moving much slower than expected. That was until the news broke today that not only are some new names potentially being added to the block, but several surprising names have also started to hear their own names mentioned in trade talks. Whether anything comes from these rumors remains to be seen, but if true, the Cubs need to do what they can to make something happen. One of the names that has been mentioned is a name that was previously associated with the Cubs, but more so as a fantasy scenario rather than an actual deal, as Washington Nationals Ace Mackenzie Gore is now being mentioned as a possible target. In a normal world, there is no way the Nationals would ship off their Ace, but with both the Manager and GM fired less than a month ago, they may be inclined to cut ties with some of their best to send a message. Not only is Gore one of the best on the Nationals, but he has also emerged as one of the better pitchers in the game and someone the Cubs would love to build around. Armed with a fastball that sits in the mid-90s, mixed with a slider and change, Gore has been dominating at times this season and carved up the Cubs just over a month ago. On paper, his 4-9 record doesn't look pleasing, but with a 3.59 ERA, it's clear that he doesn't receive the run support he would in Chicago. Although he has started to struggle in recent starts, he still ranks near the top of the league in strikeouts with 140, and adding him to the Cubs rotation would give Chicago the best lefty trio in the game. Sticking with names that were shockingly added to the block, you will notice that Minnesota Twins Ace Joe Ryan could also become available if the Cubs want to go down that road. Similar to many teams, the Twins still consider themselves in a playoff race, and unless they are willing to waive the white flag, they may not be inclined to sell. They will have to make a decision sooner or later, but losing Ryan would do more harm than good for the future of their team. Like a lot of Aces on bad teams, Ryan hasn't always had the best run support, but with a 10-4 record and a 2.63 ERA, he has done way more than expected and has been able to overcome the Twins' struggles. Like a lot of the Cubs pitching targets, Ryan is another one of those guys with controllable years beyond this season, but with his contract coming to an end in 2026, he is someone the Cubs would have to look at extending before next season. Lastly, a name that has been dangled on the market for what seems like forever, only to be taken off now, appears to be back on the market in Padres right-hander Dylan Cease. The former top pitching prospect in the Cubs system, Cease, was dealt to the White Sox in 2017 as part of the Jose Quintana trade before being traded to the Padres several years later. Now with a chance to get him back, the Cubs have already done their homework as they are one of three teams discussing a trade for Cease with the Padres. Of the three names mentioned above, Cease by far has the best stuff, which you can see with his 98 MPH heater, but it is his slider and curve combination that make him tough, as he can spin those at any point in an at-bat. Like most of his career, Cease has had his moments this season, but for the most part has been nothing more than a .500 pitcher most of his career. This season has seen him take a step back, as he sits at 3-9 with an ERA above 4.6, which is not what you expect to see from an Ace. He does, however, have 139 strikeouts, which will continue to be part of his game, but the command issues are going to hurt him. As is the case with any big-name player on the trade market, finding a way to get a deal done for either of these guys won't come easily, and you know the price tag will be steep. Jed Hoyer is known for not overspending when it comes to trades, but you have to give up something to get something, even if that means parting ways with Owen Caissie and Moises Ballesteros. If there was ever a time to overspend on the trade market to go all in, this is the time, as the 500 million dollar question with Kyle Tucker is going to be hanging over their heads the rest of the way. They need to do whatever it takes to win now, even if that means overpaying for rentals or long-term options.
